MP welcomes new wave of rural funding

Ben O'Connell

Berwick MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan has welcomed the Government’s announcement that £138million will be made available as part of the LEADER project.

As part of the project - and following a competitive selection process - 80 Local Action Groups, covering 85 per cent of rural England and made up of local businesses and voluntary groups, will be able to allocate money to rural businesses and kick-start new projects to deliver local jobs and growth.

The project previously ran from 2007 to 2013 and was used by rural entrepreneurs for projects such as farm diversification, to boost forestry productivity, promote tourism and support cultural heritage.

Anne-Marie said: “I am delighted that my efforts to lobby ministers to introduce further funding for the LEADER project has paid off. It has been a great success in Northumberland and I am very pleased our two fantastic groups will be able to move forward.”

Northumberland hosts two LEADER groups; the Northumberland Uplands Local Action Group (NULAG) and the Northumberland Coast and Lowlands LEADER group, both of whom support projects which create jobs and encourage growth.